Category Archives: Sheep

More Snow Pictures

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My back is still giving me problems so, while I have Flossie here, I am making the most of it and lying in bed all day getting up only to feed the animals.

As Floss was going out to lug water (apparently it is called the “Farmer’s Carry” in the gym), I gave her my phone and asked her to take some photos of her surroundings and anyone else she happened upon.  I stayed lying on my bed.

The horses and ponies have had two fields to dig for grass in.  This is the stream which is completely covered over – something I have never seen before.

The drifts are pretty good too.

Everyone is pleased to be outside.

 

Except for Fivla and Vitamin who have taken up residence in their container.  I did show Haakon, Iacs and Kolka the containers.  Haakon thought I was actually mad expecting anyone to go inside.  Iacs and Kolka went in and came straight out.  Still, they know where they are if they want shelter.

Anyway, tonight we have left everyone outside having had two suppers, along with copious haynets hanging everywhere and fresh water.  The wind has died down and those that need have rugs.  Floss and I decided everyone needed to stop seeing us as their servants and start being horses and ponies again.

Coming Home

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My evening chores (photos and film taken by Daisy)……

It is around 3 p.m. and the light is going fast.  Firstly, the ducks come and find me.

I call out for the first three to go to bed. They are my original duck family from this year (mum, son and daughter).  There is food in their shed waiting.  It makes a good incentive.

Then I feed any ducks who are still outside.  Some have already gone to their shed early to join the chickens.

Then I tell the remainder to go to bed and I take extra food for the others who didn’t come down earlier.

Next, if the sheep are not waiting at the gate of their field to come in, I shout for them to come home.

(They are only running fast because the ponies have heard and are following them, which Lambie finds very scary.)

“I am running Muzzah, I am running so fast!”

The reward for returning home is some Animal Crackers that I happen to have about my person – a Christmas treat for everyone sheepy.  They love them.

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First Contact

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Floss, aka our Queen of Sheep, and I went for a lovely walk and obviously the dogs came too. We walked to the furthest end of the field where the sheep were sitting.

‘Bert saw Flossie and immediately went to talk to her. He is such a dude.

Note the “happy tail”. Sheep, like dogs, wag their tails when they’re happy – it’s the sweetest thing.  It always makes me smile when they do it.

However, Lambie was not in tail-wagging mood.

While Flossie was talking to ‘Bert, Gussie was trying to decide whether to come up and join in too.  He will talk to me, but he doesn’t know Flossie really.  He suffers from “Stranger Danger”.  His mum, Dahlia, taught him well.

Barrel rolled up too and I could see Gussie thinking that talking to Flossie might be a grand idea.

And he slowly came up to her.

So brave.

Nearly!

It won’t take long before Gussie is talking like the others to our Queen of Sheep.  Mostly he ignores what his mother said to him anyway.

Lots of Help

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I gave Floss my phone this morning to take photos for me in my usual routine.

So, I rustled up the troops and, clutching my bowl of sheep food, we all walked around to their shed for breakfast.

The sheep are all used to this routine and so know to follow me and my bowl of food.

I thought this routine was pretty fool proof except for one fool ….. Lambie, of course.

He decided that “Things Were Different” so he had to be different too and refused to go inside the shed like he always has done all his life.

Luckily the others wanted their food in their usual bowls.

Dahlia also slipped out because she got pushed off her bowl so I fed those two out of the shed, shutting everyone else in.  We will stick to my routine, even when we don’t. It’s the law.

Meanwhile, Daisy had an easy job and fed the Shetland ponies. She took this gorgeous photo.

Next, it was time for the old horses and ponies – we each grabbed a bucket of food and off we went across the hill.  It is so nice having all this help.

We were finished in half the time and then it was our time for breakfast.

Home for Christmas

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Daisy came home yesterday but she didn’t see the sheep as they had already gone out into their field for the day and then straight to bed when it got dark.

So, this morning Daisy came outside to help with the morning chores – it took half the time.  All the sheep came up to meet her.

Especially Lambie.  He came running, all smiles and got a fuss from Daisy.

And then he deliberately turned and gave me this look!  Like I was now redundant as his Muzzah.

Flossie came home later this morning and now my house is beginning to feel Christmassy.  It is lovely to have them both home and something I really do appreciate.

The tree is up and the house is decorated.  I am happy.